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Friar Lawrence's Death In Romeo And Juliet

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In Love and Death Based on a true story of two lovers who died for each other in Verona, Italy in 1303, Romeo and Juliet has been translated into 80 languages since it was written around 1595, and more than 30 film versions have been made. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, the actions taken by the supporting characters lead to Romeo and Juliet’s premature deaths. In the following paragraphs, I will demonstrate how main characters Mercutio, Tybalt, Friar John and Friar Laurence contribute to their deaths. First, Mercutio and Tybalt’s deaths intensify the feud between the Capulet and the Montagues. Second, the Capulets and Montagues disapprove of any relationships between the families. Lastly, Friar Laurence does not think …show more content…

The most important part of the plan that Friar Laurence does not think about is the transportation of the letter explaining to Romeo that Juliet is not actually dead and to go to the tomb. Some critics say that the lovers never would have died, “if Friar John had not gone to quarantine.” (Greenhill) Since Romeo does not receive the note, and Romeo’s friend sees Juliet dead and tells Romeo, Romeo does not know that she is not actually dead, just asleep. This is shown near the end of the play when Balthasar says, “Then she is well, and nothing can be ill: her body sleeps in Capulet’s monument, and her immortal part with angels lives.” (Romeo and Juliet 104) Relating back to the scene when the note did not reach Romeo, he still does not know that anything has happened to Juliet until Balthasar tells him what has happened. At first, Romeo does not believe him but soon goes to an apothecary for a poison to use to kill himself alongside Juliet. Another huge flaw from Friar Laurence that could have saved the two from killing themselves is when Friar arrives in the tomb too late. He finds Romeo dead and Juliet still asleep. The two are so close in coming in contact that only a few minutes after Romeo drinks his poison, Friar walks into the tomb as Juliet awakens. “Romeo! O, pale! Who else? what, Paris too? and steep'd in blood? Ah, what an unkind hour is guilty of this lamentable chance! The lady stirs.” (Romeo and Juliet 112) Right after this, Juliet awakens hoping to find Romeo, but she finds him dead instead. In Romeo and Juliet, the actions taken by the supporting characters lead to Romeo and Juliet’s premature deaths. In the paragraphs above, I demonstrated how main characters Mercutio, Tybalt, Friar John and Friar Laurence contribute to their deaths. I also demonstrated how the Capulets and the Montagues contributed to Romeo’s and Juliet’s deaths by not allowing

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